Bottle closure



' F.,J. DAVIS BOTTLE CLOSURE Dec. 27, 1938.

Filed Jung 24, 1936 "ffzz/erzzf flan/4: JDczz/zb 45 r illustrative embodiment of the improved stopper,

in the present instance, comprisinga body mem- Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED BOTTLE CLOSURE Frank J. Davis, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne This invention relates to bottle closures or stoppers and particularly to ment to a bottle to render able.

One object of thepresent vide a stopper which may be assembled, outside- 1 j the bottle, and inserted complete in the neck of a bottle after the bottle has been filled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper having novel means associated therewith for securing portions of the stopper together, and wherein the said means are'adapted to cooperate with the neck portion or a bottle to prevent relative displacement of said means and portions of the stopper structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper having a ball valve, and wherein novel means are employed for directingthe ball toward a valve seat when the bottle and neck portion thereof are in substantially horizontal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle stopper adapted for attachment to a particular type of bottle neck construction.

A still further object of the invention is to improve devices of the character described'in sundry details hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One embodiment of the shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view neck illustrating the application of my improved stopper thereto;

Fig. 2 is asectional elevational view similar to ig. 1, and taken substantially as indicated by the line 2-2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional tially as indicatedby the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded View illustrating in perspective certain cooperating elements employed in the construction of my improved stopper.

In the drawing, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown applied to a particular form of bottle neck annulargroove or recess 6 ber 1 formed, preferably, of aperture 8 formed therein the interior of the bottle, and having a valve seat 9 formed adjacent and surrounding one end of the aperture 8, the valve seat 9 beng adapted to receive a valve member shown, in the present instance, as a ball II when the bottle, is in upright position.

assignments, of two-thirds to Al fred J. Moldenhauer and one-third to Oscar M. Meusel, both of Chicago, Ill.

Application June 24, 1936, Serial No. 87,029

For securing the body member I rigidly within the neck of the bottle, the outer sides of the; lower portion of the body member 1 are provided with a plurality of annular ribs [2 adapted to be engaged by a sleeve I3 formed, preferably, of

' compressible resilient material such, for example, as cork, rubber or the like, adapted to fit snugly within the neck of the bottle and, as in the illustrative embodiment, to extend into the annular groove 6 of the bottle neck 5 in order to secure the body member I more rigdily therein.

Formed adjacent the upper portion of the body member 1' are a plurality of annularly spaced fingers l4 surrounding'the ball ll in a manner to maintain the ball in substantial alignment with the aperture 8 in a manner to efficiently cooperate with the valve seat formed on the member I, the slots or open portions l5 between the fingers M being provided for the free discharge of fluid from the bottle when tilted and the-ball ll removed from its seat.

Mounted on the body member I and indicated, as a whole, by the numeral I6, is a cap; member formed, preferably, of glass or the like and having a bail-like retaining portion l7 adjacent its upper end for retaining the ball valve l l against displacement from within the surrounding fingers l4, the portion I? being, preferably, spaced from the bottle neck 5 and cut away asindicated at Hi to permit discharge of fluid from the bottle, the cap member I6 also having oppositely disposed apertures l9 formed therein for discharge of fluid outwardly to the mouth portion 2|] of the bottle neck, which, in the present instance, is shown as having an ordinary closure member or V cork 2| placed therein after the bottle has been View take SubS filled and my improved stopper has been inserted in proper position, the cork 2| being found desirable in the shipping or transporting of the bottles after being filled.

It will be noted particularly by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, that the inner faces 22 of the fingers M are inclined at an angle to the axial center line of the body member i and bottle neck 5 in a manner to direct the ball valve H toward the seat 9 when the stopper and bottle are in substantially horizontal position, thereby preventing the filling of the bottle when in a position to receive a fluid or the like, .and to prevent the retention of fluid above the stopper in restoring the bottle to its normal upright position.

For securing the body member I and cap member l6 together, the body member 1 is provided with an outwardly extending annular projection 23 adapted to be engagedby inwardly extending 7 Claims.

a stopper for attachthe bottle non-refillinvention is to propresent invention is 01 a bottle 5 having an internal formed therein, the

glass and having an communicating with end portions 24 (Fig. 2) of an inverted substantially U-shaped clip indicated as a whole by the numeral 25 positioned in recesses 26 and 21 formed in the upper and outer surfaces, respectively, of the cap member l6 as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and the upper portion of Fig. 4, the side or leg portions 28 of the clip 25, when my improved stopper is in place in the bottle, being positioned closely adjacent the inner side or surface of the bottle neck 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 to prevent disengagement of the inwardly extending end portions 24 of the clip from the projection 23 formed on the body member 1, thereby providing a structure wherein any tampering or attempt to remove the improved stop-- per will result only in failure or in breakage of the elements to such an extent as to render the stopper inadequate for further use.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a bottle stopper of novel construction and arrangements, which may be assembled outside the bottle and inserted complete in the neck portion thereof after the bottle has been filled, and in a manner to prevent refilling of the bottle after the contents have been dispensed therefrom, and Wherein novel means for securing portions of the stopper together are adapted to cooperate with the neck portion of the bottle to prevent relative displacement of said means and portions of the stopper structure; also that thepresent invention provides novel means for directing the ball valve toward the valve seat when the bottle and neck portion thereof are in substantially horizontal position, and wherein my improved stopper is adapted for attachment to a particular type of bottle neck construction.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described, as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of the invention need not be used conjointly, as the same may be used to advantage in variously different combinations and subcombinations.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, the combination of a body member rigidly secured in the neck of a bottle, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture, an outwardly extending projection on said body member, a valve member engageable with said seat, a plurality of fingers on said body member and annularly spaced around said valve member, an apertured cap member engaging said body member, a clip engaging said cap member and the projection on said body member for securing the cap member and body member together, and retaining means on said cap member for retaining said valve member against displacement with respect to said fingers.

2. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same n0nrefillable, the combination.

of a body member rigidly secured in the neck of a bottle, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture, an outwardly extending projection on said body member, a valve member engageable with said seat, a plurality of fingers on said body member and annularly spaced around said valve member, means on said fingers for directing said valvemember toward said seat when the bottle is in a horizontal position, an apertured cap member engaging said body member, and a clip engaging said cap member and the projection on said body member for securing the cap member and body member together.

3. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, the combination of a body member rigidly secured in the neck of a bottle, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture, an outwardly extending projection on said body member, a valve member engageable with said seat, a plurality of fingers on said body member and annularly spaced around said valve member, the inner surface of said fingers inclined to a line extending axially of said body member and bottle for directing said valve member toward said seat when the bottle is in horizontal position, an apertured cap member engaging said body member and the projection thereon, and a clip engaging said cap member and the projection on said body member for securing the cap member and body member to: gether.

4. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, the combination of a body member having a resilient sleeve mounted thereon and rigidly secured in the neck of a bottle, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture, an outwardly extending annular projection on said body member above said sleeve, 2, ball valve member engageable, with said seat, a plurality of fingers on said body member and annularly spaced around said valve member, an apertured cap member having a recess formed therein and engaging said bodymember, a clip in the recess of said cap member and having inwardly extending end portions engaging the projection on said body member for securing the cap member and body member together, and retaining means on said cap member for retaining said valve member against displacement with respect to said fingers.

5. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, the combination of a body member having a plurality of annular ribs formed thereon, a sleeve of resilient com pressible material surrounding said member and engaging said ribs, said body member and sleeve being rigidly secured in the neck of a bottle, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture, an outwardly extending annular projection on said body member above said sleeve, a ball engageable with said seat, a plurality of guide fingers on said body member and annularly spaced around said ball, the inner surfaces of the respective fingers being inclined to a line extending axially of said body member and bottle for directing said ball toward said seat when the bottle is in a horizontal position, an apertured cap member engaging said body member and outwardly extending projection thereon, said cap member having communicating recesses formed in the surface thereof, a clip positioned in said recesses and having inwardly extending end portions engaging the projection on said body memher for securing the cap member and body member together, and retaining means on said cap member for retaining said ball against displace-' ment with respect to said fingers.

6. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, the combination with a bottle neck having an internal annular groove, of a body member having a plurality of annular ribs formed thereon, a sleeve of resilient 'compressib-le material surrounding said member and engaging said ribs and groove, said body member and sleeve being rigidly secured in the neck of the bottle adjacent said groove, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture,

an outwardly extending projection on said body member, a ball engageable with said seat, a plurality of guide fingers on, said body member and annularly spaced around said ball, a cap member engaging said body member and outwardly extending projection thereon, said cap member having apertures formed therein communicating with the interior of said body member and having communicating recesses formed in the surface of said cap, a clip positioned in said recesses and having inwardly extending end portions engaging the projection on said body member for securing the cap member and body member together, said clip being positioned closely adjacent the inner side of said bottle neck .to prevent disengaging of the inwardly extending end portion of the clip from the projection on said body member, and retaining means on said cap member for retaining said ball against displacement with respect to said fingers. i V

'7. In a stopper for attachment to a bottle to render the same non-refillable, the combination with a bottle neck having an internal annular a plurality of annular ribs formed thereon, a sleeve of resilient compressible material surrounding said member and engaging said ribs and groove, said body member and sleeve being rigidly secured in the neck of the bottle adjacent said groove, said member having an aperture formed therein communicating with the interior of the bottle and having a valve seat surrounding said aperture, an outwardly extending annular projection on said body member above said sleeve, a ball engageable with said seat, a plurality of guide fingers on said body member and annularly spaced around said ball, the inner surfaces of the respective fingers being inclined to a line extending axially of said body member and bottle for directing said ball toward said seat when the bottle is in a horizontal position, a cap member engaging said body member and outwardly ex tending projection thereon, said cap member having oppositely disposed apertures formed therein communicating with the interior of said body member and having communicating recesses formed in the top and side surfaces of said cap,

a U-shaped clip positioned in said recesses and having inwardly extending end portions engaging the projection on said body member for securing the cap member and body member together, said clip being positioned closely adjacent the inner side of said bottle neck to prevent disengaging of the inwardly extending end portions of the clip from the projection on said body member, and retaining means on said cap member for retaining said ball against displacement with respect to said fingers.

FRANK J. DAVIS. 

